HP

Computer manufacturer HP has today announced that some of its laptops may contain faulty and potentially dangerous batteries. HP is asking owners to contact its customer service team immediately for a replacement battery. The news comes at the tail-end of a disastrous week for computer manufacturers.

This HP laptop news is hot on the heels of the Spectre and Meltdown[1] processor problems – security risks that affect practically all modern computing devices. In a statement released on Friday afternoon, HP revealed that a selection of its laptops manufactured between 2015 and 2017 are affected by a battery fault that makes them a potential fire risk. HP is advising laptop owners to check immediately if their model is one of the affected ranges.

Is my computer affected?

HP has revealed a list of the models affected by the problem, which are:

Probook series:

HP ProBook 640 G2

HP ProBook 640 G3

HP ProBook 645 G2

HP ProBook 645 G3

HP ProBook 650 G2

HP ProBook 650 G3

HP ProBook 655 G2

HP ProBook 655 G3

ZBook series:

HP ZBook 17 G3

HP ZBook 17 G4

HP ZBook Studio G3

X360 series:

HP X360 310 G2

Pavilion series:

HP Pavilion x360

Envy series:

HP Envy m6

11 series:

HP 11 Notebook PC

HP battery scanning tool available

While these ranges are the ones HP that has singled out as potentially having the battery problem, not all of HP’s many laptop models are affected. To check if your laptop is one of the unlucky ones, HP has provided a tool on its website to download that will scan your computer and identify if it has the rogue battery. If you’re an HP laptop owner, you can run its laptop scanner here[3].

If the tool identifies your laptop as having the faulty battery, it will enact a Battery Safety Mode, effectively rendering the battery useless and only allowing the laptop to be powered from the mains. While this should reduce the chance of any damage being done, it is imperative that you still contact HP for a replacement battery. If you are unsure if your laptop is one of the above, contact HP’s customer services on 0207 660 0596 for assistance.

What will happen to my HP laptop?

If your laptop is one of the models affected, HP will replace the battery without charging a fee.

It is important to ensure that you contact HP directly to deal with this recall, via the link provided below: Head to HP’s official battery replacement support site[4] Don’t take your laptop to a third-party repair company, as the battery is not user-replaceable.

Plus, you won’t be afforded the same level of service you would get from the official recall programme, and you may also be charged a fee.

Once you have contacted HP, a technician will contact you to arrange a visit to replace the battery, in your own home.

HP state that once it is contacted, customers can expect a response within three to five business days.

The holiday season is in full swing, and tech retailers are treating potential customers to deals on budget-priced and high-end laptops. If you’re looking to uncover a bargain before the end of the year, we’ve rounded up some laptop deals to take a look at. The price cuts we’ve spotted could see you pick up a laptop for as little as GBP130.

Remember, when you’re shopping for a computer, always think twice when you see a supposed bargain. By doing your research, you can be sure that you are indeed getting a discount, and that the model you’re buying is worth your money. After all, whether you’re spending GBP130 or GBP1,300 on a laptop, you don’t want to waste your money on a bad deal for bad tech.

The latest deals on Christmas laptops

Lenovo Ideapad 110S – GBP129.99 (John Lewis)

On sale for GBP130 at John Lewis, this Lenovo could be on your radar if you’re a buyer on a budget. It has an 11.6-inch display, an Intel Celeron processor, 2GB of Ram and 32GB of storage. Those specs certainly aren’t the best around, but they are good enough for editing documents and managing emails.

The Ideapad 110S weighs in at just over a kilo, which makes it a good potential commuting companion. We sent this laptop off to our test lab to see how many hours you can squeeze out of it on a single charge. To see how it fared in our lab tests, see our Lenovo Ideapad 110S review[2].

Asus VivoBook E203 – GBP199.99 (PC World)

This Asus laptop is powered by an Intel Celeron N3350 processor and 2GB of Ram. Although the 11.6-inch VivoBook isn’t up to video editing with those specs, it should cope well with basic web browsing and Microsoft Office software. You’ll have just 32GB of internal storage to fill up on this lightweight laptop, so it’s not geared to storing masses of files and programs.

But, it takes just eleven seconds to wake up from sleep. To see how this affordable model scored in our rigorous tests, head over to our full Asus VivoBook E203 review[3]. HP Pavilion x360 14 – GBP599.99 (PC World)

Unlike the other laptops on our list, this model is a laptop/tablet hybrid, which means you can fold the 14-inch screen and carry the Pavilion around like a tablet.

This laptop is available in a number of different configurations, but this discounted model at PC World has an Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of Ram and 256GB of storage. With that much Ram, it should be able to cope if you like running multiple apps at once. Although we haven’t tested this specific model, we’ve had our hands on one of its sister models, a lower-spec Pavilion with a Pentium 4415U processor, 4GB of Ram and 128GB of storage.

The Ideapad is now under GBP500, so you might be considering it if you’re shopping for a budget laptop this Christmas. This model has a Dual Core i5 processor and 8GB of Ram, so it’s well-equipped despite the price.

It has a 14-inch Full HD display, and Lenovo says that watching films is a treat, thanks to a pair of Dolby-enabled speakers. The Ideapad model we’ve tested has a seventh-generation i3 processor, 8GB of Ram and a 128GB solid-state drive. But does this ‘everyday machine’ offer enough to set it apart?

To see if this Lenovo laptop is a proven Best Buy, head over to our Lenovo Ideapad 320 review[5]. Dell Inspiron 15 7570 – GBP719.99 (PC World)

Originally on sale for around GBP1,000, this Windows 10 laptop from Dell is now closer to GBP700. It has an i5 processor, 8GB of Ram and 256GB of storage.

A wide viewing angle means you’ll be able to see things clearly even if you’re viewing the display head on, and an NVIDIA GeForce 940MX graphics card makes this suitable for on-the-go gaming. We’re still waiting on this laptop to return from our test lab, so keep checking our laptop reviews[6] page for the details when they arrive. Lenovo Ideapad 710s – GBP749.95 (John Lewis)

Here’s another laptop on sale at John Lewis this Christmas.

The premium Lenovo Ideapad 710s is powered by an i7 processor and a whopping 8GB of Ram, so it should serve up more than enough power for most users. It has a 13.3-inch Full HD screen, and its small bezels on the side of the screen make for a more immersive viewing experience. It weighs around 1.07kg, making it lighter than many ultrabook rivals, including the Dell XPS 13[7].

Although we haven’t tested this model, we have put the i5 model through its paces. To see if it’s worth your hard-earned cash, read our Lenovo Ideapad 710s review[8].

Which laptop brand is best?

If you’re planning on buying a new laptop this month, you’ll want a model that’ll last for years to come without any problems. We surveyed over 10,000 Which? members earlier this year, so we can reveal the big-name brands that come backed by waves of positive reviews.

While our range of Best Buy laptops are a pleasure to use in the office and at home, dreaded Don’t Buys are slugglish with poor battery life. Without the help of our expert reviews, you risk buying a laptop that’s difficult to use, slow and prone to faults. To see the laptop brands that come recommended by Which? members, see our guide on the most reliable laptop brands[9].

For more on the latest laptops passing through out test lab, head over to our laptop reviews[10] page.

With laptops from ?350 to ?1,300, there’s something for every pocket in the latest batch of laptops tested by Which?. However, as our results showed, they aren’t all worth picking up. With a line-up of familiar names in the lab, including HP, Lenovo and Asus, expectations could be high.

We subjected each one to our usual tests, checking not only the raw power of the laptop and how fast they are, but also how long the battery lasts when not plugged it, the responsiveness of the keyboard, and how pleasing the screen is, among other things. Some laptops impressed us so much that they achieved Best Buy status, and we strongly suggest that they be placed at the top of your shortlist if you’re after a new laptop. Other’s didn’t fare quite so well, let down by poor audio and murky screens.

Asus Zenbook Flip UX370

If you’re watching the pennies, this laptop isn’t the one for you. At ?1,300, it’s the priciest model in our latest batch, but what do you get for all that money? It’s a stunningly slim laptop that packs in a fair amount of power, thanks to a seventh generation Intel i5 processor.

It should prove fairly speedy, when accessing programs, and we were fairly impressed at its start up time. Asus states a battery life of up to 11.5 hours between charges, but our own tests disagreed. As the name suggests, the Zenbook Flip can fold its screen back on itself, essentially converting it into a large tablet.

Lenovo Ideapad 320-15IAP

At the other end of the scale is this Lenovo, pitched as an entry-level, budget laptop. It’s asking price, ?350, reflects its modest specs, but we’ve seen even cheaper models than this become Best Buys in the past. Lenovo quote a battery life of around 5.5 hours, which is a slight cause for concern as we often find that manufacturers claims are somewhat optimistic, and under six hours is nothing to shout about.

Asus ZenBook UX410

This Asus sits somewhere between the two laptops above, priced at ?600, and with an Intel i3 processor. It could make for a good everyday machine with that competent processor, and it looks more stylish than its price tag suggests, with a solid aluminium frame. Of course, we don’t give points for looks in our reviews.

So can this Asus offer brains as well as beauty? Find out in our full review of the Asus ZenBook UX410[4].

Lenovo Ideapad 720-15IKB

If it’s power you’re after, this Lenovo laptop could be for you. Pitched as a model for gamers and professionals, it has a beefy 7th generation Intel i7 processor, as well as a dedicated AMD Radeon graphics card, offering plenty of grunt.

Chances are this will be overkill for those looking to check Facebook and write the odd Word document, but could this laptop suit those with more demanding needs?